Rule 56, Central Goods and Services Tax Rules, 2017 [S10-F0V]
As at 7 September 2026. In force from 1 July 2017 by Notification No. 10/2017-Central Tax, dated 28-6-2017 [N10-0KR].
56. Maintenance of accounts by registered persons.—
(1) Every registered person shall keep and maintain, in addition to the particulars mentioned in sub-section (1) of section 35, a true and correct account of the goods or services imported or exported or of supplies attracting payment of tax on reverse charge along with the relevant documents, including invoices, bills of supply, delivery challans, credit notes, debit notes, receipt vouchers, payment vouchers and refund vouchers.
(2) Every registered person, other than a person paying tax under section 10, shall maintain the accounts of stock in respect of goods received and supplied by him, and such accounts shall contain particulars of the opening balance, receipt, supply, goods lost, stolen, destroyed, written off or disposed of by way of gift or free sample and the balance of stock including raw materials, finished goods, scrap and wastage thereof.
(3) Every registered person shall keep and maintain a separate account of advances received, paid and adjustments made thereto.
(4) Every registered person, other than a person paying tax under section 10, shall keep and maintain an account, containing the details of tax payable (including tax payable in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (3) and sub-section (4) of section 9), tax collected and paid, input tax, input tax credit claimed, together with a register of tax invoice, credit notes, debit notes, delivery challan issued or received during any tax period.
(5) Every registered person shall keep the particulars of -
(a) names and complete addresses of suppliers from whom he has received the goods or services chargeable to tax under the Act;
(b) names and complete addresses of the persons to whom he has supplied goods or services, where required under the provisions of this Chapter;
(c) the complete address of the premises where goods are stored by him, including goods stored during transit along with the particulars of the stock stored therein.
(6) If any taxable goods are found to be stored at anyplace(s) other than those declared under sub-rule (5) without the cover of any valid documents, the proper officer shall determine the amount of tax payable on such goods as if such goods have been supplied by the registered person.
(7) Every registered person shall keep the books of account at the principal place of business and books of account relating to additional place of business mentioned in his certificate of registration and such books of account shall include any electronic form of data stored on any electronic device.
(8) Any entry in registers, accounts and documents shall not be erased, effaced or overwritten, and all incorrect entries, otherwise than those of clerical nature, shall be scored out under attestation and there after the correct entry shall be recorded and where the registers and other documents are maintained electronically, a log of every entry edited or deleted shall be maintained.
(9) Each volume of books of account maintained manually by the registered person shall be serially numbered.
(10) Unless proved otherwise, if any documents, registers, or any books of account belonging to a registered person are found at any premises other than those mentioned in the certificate of registration, they shall be presumed to be maintained by the said registered person.
(11) Every agent referred to in clause(5) of section 2 shall maintain accounts depicting the,-
(a) particulars of authorisation received by him from each principal to receive or supply goods or services on behalf of such principal separately;
(b) particulars including description, value and quantity(wherever applicable) of goods or services received on behalf of every principal;
(c) particulars including description, value and quantity(wherever applicable) of goods or services supplied on behalf of every principal;
(d) details of accounts furnished to every principal; and
(e) tax paid on receipts or on supply of goods or services effected on behalf of every principal.
(12) Every registered person manufacturing goods shall maintain monthly production accounts showing quantitative details of raw materials or services used in the manufacture and quantitative details of the goods so manufactured including the waste and by products thereof.
(13) Every registered person supplying services shall maintain the accounts showing quantitative details of goods used in the provision of services, details of input services utilised and the services supplied.
(14) Every registered person executing works contract shall keep separate accounts for works contract showing -
(a) the names and addresses of the persons on whose behalf the works contract is executed;
(b) description, value and quantity (wherever applicable) of goods or services received for the execution of works contract;
(c) description, value and quantity (wherever applicable) of goods or services utilized in the execution of works contract;
(d) the details of payment received in respect of each works contract; and
(e) the names and addresses of suppliers from whom he received goods or services.
(15) The records under the provisions of this Chapter may be maintained in electronic form and the record so maintained shall be authenticated by means of a digital signature.
(16) Accounts maintained by the registered person together with all the invoices, bills of supply, credit and debit notes, and delivery challans relating to stocks, deliveries, inward supply and outward supply shall be preserved for the period as provided in section 36 and shall, where such accounts and documents are maintained manually, be kept at every related place of business mentioned in the certificate of registration and shall be accessible at every related place of business where such accounts and documents are maintained digitally.
(17) Any person having custody over the goods in the capacity of a carrier or a clearing and forwarding agent for delivery or dispatch thereof to a recipient on behalf of any registered person shall maintain true and correct records in respect of such goods handled by him on behalf of such registered person and shall produce the details thereof as and when required by the proper officer.
(18) Every registered person shall, on demand, produce the books of accounts which he is required to maintain under any law for the time being in force.
Defined terms in this text (20)
act: Section 3, General Clauses Act, 1897 [S100SN] (In this Act, and in all Central Acts and Regulations made after the commencement of this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context): (2) "act", used with reference to an offence or a civil wrong, shall include a series of acts, and words which refer to acts done extend also to illegal omissions;
act: Rule 2, Central Goods and Services Tax Rules, 2017 [S10CS0] (In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires): (a) "Act" means the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 (12 of 2017);
act: 362 more definitions.
business: Section 2(17), Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017: "business" includes - (a) any trade, commerce, manufacture, profession, vocation, adventure, wager or any other similar activity, whether or not it is for a pecuniary benefit; (b) any activity or transaction in connection with or incidental or ancillary to sub-clause (a); (c) any activity or transaction in the nature of sub-clause (a), whether or not there is volume, frequency, continuity or regularity of such transaction; (d) supply or acquisition of goods including capital goods and services in connection with commencement or closure of business; (e) provision by a club, association, society, or any such body (for a subscription or any other consideration) of the facilities or benefits to its members; (f) admission, for a consideration, of persons to any premises; (g) services supplied by a person as the holder of an office which has been accepted by him in the course or furtherance of his trade, profession or vocation; (h) activities of a race club including by way of totalisator or a license to book maker or activities of a licensed book maker in such club; and (i) any activity or transaction undertaken by the Central Government, a State Government or any local authority in which they are engaged as public authorities;
business: Section 2, Bengal Indigo Contracts Act, 1836 [S10P0G] (In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—): "business" includes every trade, occupation and profession
business: Section 2, Stage-Carriages Act, 1861 [S1228A] (In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—): "business" includes every trade, occupation and profession
business: 11 more definitions.
Chapter: Section 3, General Clauses Act, 1897 [S100SN] (In this Act, and in all Central Acts and Regulations made after the commencement of this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context): (9) "Chapter" shall mean a Chapter of the Act or Regulation in which the word occurs;
data: Section 2, Kerala Police Act, 2011 [S2MVCX] (In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—): "data" means a representation of information, facts, concepts, opinions or instructions in a manner suitable for communication, interpretation or processing by human beings or by automated means
data: Section 2, National institute of Information Technology Act, 2014 [S26QZF] (In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—): "data" means a representation of information, facts, concepts, opinions or instructions in a manner suitable for communication, interpretation or processing by human beings or by automated means
data: Section 2, Indian Institutes of Information Technology (Public-Private Partnership) Act, 2017 [S27VSY] (In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—): "data" means a representation of information, facts, concepts, opinions or instructions in a manner suitable for communication, interpretation or processing by human beings or by automated means
data: 3 more definitions.
digital signature: Section 2(1)(p), IT Act 2000: "digital signature" means authentication of any electronic record by a subscriber by means of an electronic method or procedure in accordance with the provisions of section 3;
document: Section 3, General Clauses Act, 1897 [S100SN] (In this Act, and in all Central Acts and Regulations made after the commencement of this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context): "document" shall include any matter written, expressed or described upon any substance by means of letters, figures or marks, or by more than one of those means which is intended to be used, or which may be used, for the purpose of recording that matter
gift: Section 122, Transfer of Property Act: "Gift" is the transfer of certain existing moveable or immoveable property made voluntarily and without consideration, by one person, called the donor, to another, called the donee, and accepted by or on behalf of the donee. [Acceptance when to be made] Such acceptance must be made during the lifetime of the donor and while he is still capable of giving. If the donee dies before acceptance, the gift is void.
goods: Section 2, Bengal Indigo Contracts Act, 1836 [S10P0G] (In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—): "goods" means every kind of movable property other than actionable claims and money, and includes stock and shares, growing crops, grass and things attached to or forming part of the land which are agreed to be severed before sale or under the contract of sale
goods: Section 2, Stage-Carriages Act, 1861 [S1228A] (In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—): "goods" means every kind of movable property other than actionable claims and money, and includes stock and shares, growing crops, grass and things attached to or forming part of the land which are agreed to be severed before sale or under the contract of sale
goods: Section 2, Commercial Documents Evidence Act, 1939 [S18EMR] (In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—): "goods" means every kind of movable property other than actionable claims and money, and includes stock and shares, growing crops, grass and things attached to or forming part of the land which are agreed to be severed before sale or under the contract of sale
goods: 36 more definitions.
input tax credit: Section 2(63), Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017: "input tax credit" means the credit of input tax;
person: Section 3, General Clauses Act, 1897 [S100SN] (In this Act, and in all Central Acts and Regulations made after the commencement of this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context): "person" shall include any company or association or body of individuals, whether incorporated or not
person: 1 more definition.
place of business: Section 2(85), Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017: "place of business" includes- (a) a place from where the business is ordinarily carried on, and includes a warehouse, a godown or any other place where a taxable person stores his goods, supplies or receives goods or services or both; or (b) a place where a taxable person maintains his books of account; or (c) a place where a taxable person is engaged in business through an agent, by whatever name called;
recipient: Section 2(93), Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017: "recipient" of supply of goods or services or both, means— (a) where a consideration is payable for the supply of goods or services or both, the person who is liable to pay that consideration; (b) where no consideration is payable for the supply of goods, the person to whom the goods are delivered or made available, or to whom possession or use of the goods is given or made available; and (c) where no consideration is payable for the supply of a service, the person to whom the service is rendered, and any reference to a person to whom a supply is made shall be construed as a reference to the recipient of the supply and shall include an agent acting as such on behalf of the recipient in relation to the goods or services or both supplied;
registered: Section 3, General Clauses Act, 1897 [S100SN] (In this Act, and in all Central Acts and Regulations made after the commencement of this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context): (49) "registered", used with reference to a document, shall mean registered in India under the law for the time being in force for the registration of documents;
registered person: Section 2(94), Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017: "registered person" means a person who is registered under section 25 but does not include a person having a Unique Identity Number;
reverse charge: Section 2(98), Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017: "reverse charge" means the liability to pay tax by the recipient of supply of goods or services or both instead of the supplier of such goods or services or both under sub-section (3) or sub-section (4) of section 9, or under sub-section (3) or sub-section (4) of section 5 of the Integrated Goods and Services Tax Act;
rule: Section 3, General Clauses Act, 1897 [S100SN] (In this Act, and in all Central Acts and Regulations made after the commencement of this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context): (51) "rule" shall mean a rule made in exercise of a power conferred by any enactment, and shall include a Regulation made as a rule under any enactment;
section: Section 3, General Clauses Act, 1897 [S100SN] (In this Act, and in all Central Acts and Regulations made after the commencement of this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context): (54) "section" shall mean a section of the Act or Regulation in which the word occurs;
section: Rule 2, Central Goods and Services Tax Rules, 2017 [S10CS0] (In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires): (c) "section" means a section of the Act;
section: 362 more definitions.
sub-section: Section 3, General Clauses Act, 1897 [S100SN] (In this Act, and in all Central Acts and Regulations made after the commencement of this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context): (61) "sub-section" shall mean a sub-section of the section in which the word occurs;
supply: Section 7(1), Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017: "For the purposes of this Act, the expression - "supply" includes- (a) all forms of supply of goods or services or both such as sale, transfer, barter, exchange, licence, rental, lease or disposal made or agreed to be made for a consideration by a person in the course or furtherance of business; (aa) the activities or transactions, by a person, other than an individual, to its members or constituents or vice-versa, for cash, deferred payment or other valuable consideration. Explanation.-For the purposes of this clause, it is hereby clarified that, notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force or any judgment, decree or order of any Court, tribunal or authority, the person and its members or constituents shall be deemed to be two separate persons and the supply of activities or transactions inter se shall be deemed to take place from one such person to another; (b) import of services for a consideration whether or not in the course or furtherance of business; and (c) the activities specified in Schedule I, made or agreed to be made without a consideration."
value: Section 2(41), Customs Act, 1962: "value", in relation to any goods, means the value thereof determined in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) of section 14;
Made under this rule, or naming it (0)
none
Cited by (1)
Rule 58, Central Goods and Services Tax Rules, 2017 [S10-F2Z], 19 June 2017, Band A. "rule 56".
Not held (0)
none
Duties published under this rule (0)
none